Alkali-loving extremophile bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of Bacillus selenitireducens (bright orange rods) with crystals of tellurium (upper right). This species of bacteria is haloalkaliphilic (salt and alkali-loving) and was found in the bottom sediment of Mono Lake,USA. It can grow in oxygen deprived conditions with a pH range of 8.5-10. It can grow on arsenate,which is water insoluble,reducing it to arsenite which is water soluble and highly toxic. B. selenitireducens may offer benefits to man as it grows nanometre-sized spheres of selenium on the outer membrane that could be used to develop new types of miniature semiconducting devices | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Baesman, Shaun / US Geological Survey |
Taille de l’image : | 4960 px × 3562 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
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